Online Drivers Union refuses 15% cut in transport fares
Story By: Akua Oteng Amponsah
Users of ride-hailing apps such as Uber, Bolt, and Yango should not expect a reduction in fares despite the recent appreciation of the cedi and falling fuel prices.
The Ghana Online Drivers Union has stated that it was not consulted in the Ghana Private Road Transport Union’s (GPRTU) decision to implement a 15% fare reduction across public transport services.
According to Francis Tengey, President of the Ghana Online Drivers Union, the fare cut cannot be extended to ride-hailing services because they were excluded from the decision-making process. “What the GPRTU did does not include us, because we have not been consulted,” he said. “We are not part of them. We are the users of Uber, Bolt, and Yango.”
Tengey explained that the union’s exclusion from the decision-making process means that their customers will not benefit from the 15% reduction in prices. He argued that formal recognition of the union would enable it to engage directly with ride-hailing platforms to ensure passengers benefit from favorable economic trends.
The union has been seeking recognition since 2021 but has yet to receive accreditation from the Trades Union Congress (TUC). Tengey appealed to the government to step in and regulate the sector, calling for recognition of the union to facilitate dialogue with ride-hailing platforms.
Meanwhile, consumer advocacy group CUTS International is urging the government to take firm action to ensure Ghanaians benefit from recent fuel price reductions. The group wants authorities to empower local assemblies to deregister and sanction commercial drivers who refuse to implement the 15% fare cut announced by the GPRTU.
